


Make Creativity Happen

by Myffanwy



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Dates, First Kiss, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-01-31 11:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21445192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myffanwy/pseuds/Myffanwy
Summary: Written for the 2019 Promnis Big Bang!Artwork by @iilyushka on Twitter!Ignis Scientia's whole world has been thrown for a loop when he meets a cute blonde boy who shows up at his work. Having been single, and dealing with his own struggles of self-betterance, will he learn to open up and let Prompto show him he deserves love, or will he continue to shut everyone out?
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32
Collections: 2019 Promnis Big Bang





	Make Creativity Happen

Each day started out very much the same. Ignis would wake up, shower, dress, and leave his building two hours before he was scheduled to start his shift.

It hadn’t always been this way, his desire to leave the house early, but he found himself to be naturally very reclusive and although he worked in a very customer focused job, he found that only deteriorated his motivation to socialize even further.

It had been a month since he started doing this, and although he found his wallet rapidly decreasing in size with the morning costing $7 more than it would if he had stayed home; he justified it as he at least packed his own lunch to work still. He ordered his breakfast and coffee and took his book and laptop over to one of the larger tables where he sat, listening to the conversations that flowed around him ranging from the mundane to the vaguely interesting.

He’s learned that there were generally three conversations to be had at a chain coffee shop in the late morning time.

One, the intensely political, albeit 90% of the time not being about the politics of Insomnia itself but rather the politics of Niflheim of which they had no control.

Two, the general mumblings about how awful the younger generations are at everything mixed in with ceremonious ramblings of the chores and duties they pulled in the “good old days”.

And last but not least, three. The talk of grandchildren and holidays to visit or be visited by them. These were typically followed up by more complaining about the younger generation, but sometimes, just sometimes, it was just a wholesome discussion on the value of family and how grateful they were to spend time with them.

Those ones were always Ignis’ favourite to overhear, mostly because it gave him a small longing to have that sort of family relationship, as he so often forgotten that it was normal to have that.

He didn’t know the names of anyone he sat around, and their faces rarely changed on the day to day.

He had only been approached twice ever in his five-days-a-week habit; once was for someone to ask him to move his spot since they wanted his table, to which he bit his tongue and complied to her demands.

The second was when someone came up to him to compliment him on his ‘attractive and kempt attire’. This was coming from an older lady so he politely nodded and thanked her, but beyond those interactions he was generally left alone.

Today as he sat in his spot with his coffee and bagel, he opened his small laptop and began writing. It wasn’t anything that he was necessarily taking seriously, just a story he had had in his head for several years that he was beginning the barest edges of fleshing out. 

He felt himself relaxing and beginning to get into the swing of things, his fingers filling out the dialogue and plot almost easily, taking him to places he hadn’t imagined the characters to go. It was so calming compared to the job he was killing time before, this was what he truly wanted to be doing.

Getting lost in the form and prose, he barely heard the conversation at the large table in front of him, until he heard a particular phrase.

“He just graduated University and he’s moving here for a bit. Bless his soul, he’s the only one who ever comes to visit me.”

Ignis wasn’t certain why he picked up on that, but the thought of a younger person joining the group was intriguing. Maybe it would help break up the monotony, but then again, he had to remind himself that the city he lived in wasn’t a small one, it was unlikely that he would ever even meet this mystery grandson.

“Is that the one who won all those awards for photography or something?” A gruff voice at the other end of the table asked, Ignis tried his best to make it seem like he wasn’t eavesdropping. _ Sounds like a bit of a prodigy _ Ignis thought. He always felt a strange sort of jealousy towards folks who have achieved great things in their lives, as he had spent his whole childhood being groomed to care for and to assist the family where his parents had served as live in staff. 

He knew how to cook, clean, and take orders with impeccable manners, his parents were trained by the best butlers in the country, who passed on their knowledge to Ignis, with some small changes tailored to the family they served. The family, an incredibly wealthy one with generations and generations of history in the city, had employed the Scientia family for almost as long, to the point that the future employment of the family was never brought into question.

However, an unfortunate and careless accident by a guest one night took away not only his family, but half of the family he had been trained to serve. 

After some deliberation, the surviving members of the family first ensured that Ignis would be taken care of well into adulthood, but with that they moved into a modest dwelling across the country and made it clear that they did not have a use for any live in staff.

It wasn’t an act of uncompassionate greed; instead they felt that it was necessary, as they did not want to keep Ignis and his kin indentured to their family for mere ‘tradition’.

Ignis was in his late teenage years when this happened, and now, at the age of 22, he had no skills beyond taking orders and other mundane household upkeep.

Surprisingly, live-in butlers and servants were not necessarily in demand in Insomnia, but the money he had been given was not enough to sustain a lifestyle of any kind for very long, so he got a job at a local craft store and worked on acquiring more profitably exploitable skills.

On one hand, he felt relieved that now his life was open with possibility, but on the other hand, it meant that he needed to put effort into surviving and thriving.

Not realizing he was lost in thought, it surprised him when he heard laughter coming from the table ahead of him.

“That’s not a real job.”

“Back in my day you couldn’t get by with a pansy ‘job’ like that.”

It took so much effort to not roll his eyes at that comment so he settled for picking up his to-go cup of coffee and drinking it slowly.

Although he had to admit he was highly curious about this individual that he was likely never going to meet.

Finishing up his coffee and wrapping up the last paragraph of the document he was working on, he closed the lid to his laptop and began getting his things ready to head to work.

***

His walk to work from the coffee shop was less than ten minutes, but he found the light breeze and solid “stip stap” noises of his feet against the pavement to be quite relaxing. He took for granted how nice walking was, and even though he had the option to drive everywhere, he found that being rushed to and from work was causing too much stress on his already delicate frame of mind.

Working at a craft store was not glamorous, and he was highly unlikely to make a career out of it, but the skills he found himself growing were valuable, even if he couldn’t yet decide on where in the world he wanted to put those skills to use in.

He had recently found himself being promoted to manager, after working there for three years and having done the past year of joining the overnight team. Overnight for them starting at three in the morning, meaning his whole life was dedicated to waking up, working, sleeping and somewhere in there, eating. He didn’t have a social life, but because the whole city didn’t stop at 6 o’clock, neither did he, and he found himself often only sleeping four or less hours a night if he was lucky.

Now he was a manager with more responsibility, slightly higher pay, and an obvious disdain for the customers. He now had to deal with the sketchy returns, the complaints, the entitled folks who “want to be told the exact same thing the cashier said but by someone who actually has authority”.

But hey, at least now he didn’t have to wake up at two in the morning.

As he walked in the building he saw Aranea and Luna talking near the front, Luna waved to him politely, giving him her best customer service smile.

“Good afternoon Ignis, are you the closing manager today?” She asked, her voice pitched higher as it often was when she was at work.

Nodding a reply he didn’t know why he felt the need to be snarky but his mouth opened before his brain could stop him.

“Of course. Who else ever closes around here?”

Internally slapping himself for sounding crass to someone who had never done him wrong, he tried to play it off as a joke by chuckling lowly and stopping his walk to the break room by standing with the two coworkers.

“That’s a fair point. I’ve tried to get them to switch us a few times but I think they want to make up for making you wake up so early for over a year. Talk to them about it, I’d be more than happy to switch off a few days a week.” Luna suggested, when Aranea piped up to ease some of the awkward tension.

“Hey at least it isn’t like the last manager we had, I don’t even remember their name, but the one who refused to close because it meant she would miss out on having dinner with her parents, remember her? You never got a break when they were a manager.” Aranea laughed, her voice airy and sensual. Ignis had to admit, he enjoyed working with her, she too, felt like someone who was here because of unfortunate circumstances and she was trying to just get ahead.

Cracking a grin, Ignis nodded and sighed in an exaggerated fashion.

“Yes I do, unfortunately. I don’t think I ever saw sunlight when she worked here.” Regaining a sense of professionalism, he straightened up and made to continue his walk to the back room.

“Well I need to get ready, shall I see you two when I return?” He couldn’t help feeling relieved when they both nodded. Usually Luna would leave shortly after he arrived, but he knew today he would see her for a bit longer as today, being Thursday, was typically a busy day for the store as it was the last day for those weekly sales, although what he didn’t consider was that usually she usually had help on these days.

As he punched in the code to the break room he was slightly sad to see someone already there on their break. It was Cindy, who was usually a morning cashier. Ignis had worked with her before, mostly because he would see her in the morning before he would leave, but ever since his promotion they were seeing less and less of each other.

“Hey Iggy, how’re ya doing?” She said, a sweet Southern drawl in her voice. Knowing they were two of the only accented people working in the store made him feel less uncomfortable when customers would go off on how much they loved his accent. He wasn’t even from Tenebrae, his family was and he had picked up on their exaggerated manner during their work as family butlers.

“I am...well, this afternoon. How are you today, Cindy? I see both Luna and Aranea are rather jovial so it doesn’t seem like it’s been too bad.” He opened his assigned locker and pulled out the unsightly vest he was required to wear and shoved his small bag in the small space, pulling out a chair and lifting his phone out of his pocket.

Cindy had worked with him enough by now to know that that action was only meant to be a deterrent against social interaction from some coworkers, she was exempt from its anti-social meaning.

“Yeah we got slammed mighty hard in the morning but things seemed to settle down after lunch. I know you got Ravus and Iris tonight as closers, good luck with that one.” She chuckled as she watched his shoulders clench. There were a surprising number of employees at the store but so many of them were either seasonal, or obviously temporary (they did have quite a high turnover rate) that he rarely bothered to get to know them. It wasn’t that the store was a bad place to work, they paid well, and for customer service their customers really could be worse. The management wasn’t an issue either as everyone, with the exception of their really creepy District Manager who made a visit every couple of months, there weren’t a whole lot of actual problems with the store.

He figured folks just had an issue with actually doing the work they were paid for, as the store was granted only a certain amount of hours everyone worked a base minimum and the rest were doled out based on how good the worker was. Not taking in outlier “bad days” or disabilities into account. Personality was what they cared about, and whether or not they could pretend to be a human being in the world of customer service.

“Anyone else, or are they really screwing me over on a Thursday?” He sighed, reaching forward into the middle of the table for the schedule, eyeing the fact that Luna was not even supposed to be here today given she had come in at Midnight to bring in the new Summer stock.

“Wait, I saw Luna out there...why is she here?” He asked, heart sinking as he remembered how often they screwed over the morning manager by making her stay later than expected.

“Ah no, apparently Gladio couldn’t come in and rules being what they are, there was no warehousing last night so she slept in and Noct apparently did to as he also didn’t show up for his mid shift.” Cindy rolled her eyes, the obvious reasoning between this not lost on either of them.

“Ah. So that’s it, is it? Well at least she got to sleep in.” He hummed, remembering all of his sleepless, tiring days.

“But hey, no I think I saw two other names on that schedule, you’ll be fine. I don’t think they’re closing but they’ll be with you for at least a bit.” Cindy stood up and checked her watch.

“Well I have to get going, but good luck tonight Ignis.” She said, whistling as she left the break room, leaving him alone with his thoughts once again.

He only had a few minutes until he got started for his day as he slowly watched the time tick down, he dreaded every moment of it. That was the thing; he never hated his job until he was sitting in the back of the store, waiting to start his day.

***

Closing had, and he feared would always be, a drag.

He often got them out earlier than expected, and he only did so because he knew and was tired of fighting the staff that immediately shut down as soon as the store was closed, with no hope of getting any additional work done.

Finishing the paperwork he had, he pressed the talk button on the head-sets and announced;

“Alright everyone, let’s get going.” And sighed as soon as his finger was off of the button. The other, part time workers had left earlier, leaving just Iris and Ravus for the two closers, which was kind of nice since he knew both of them quite well, but was also frustrating as they both had flaws in their work that bothered him. 

He was growing weary after all these years of retail and feared it may be almost too late for him to get out. He had very limited options, and looking back on it, heavily regretted not taking action sooner in his life.

He had so much potential. So much drive and spirit, but once the life laid out to him crumbled he had gone blind to any hope for the future. Convincing himself that a “normal retail job” would help him gain the skills he needed to succeed in any environment (as the hiring ads loved to boast), he quickly realized that this was nothing more than what folks considered to be an “entry level job”, despite the insane amount of stress and responsibility that came with it.

He only realized he was beginning to let his mind spiral when he heard Ravus chiding off in his ear.

“Are you ready to go or what, Ignis?” His voice lingered, dripping with sarcasm and it took everything in Ignis’ power to not roll his eyes and scoff into the mic.

“Yes, indeed, just on my way.” He said briefly, locking up the manager’s office and walking towards the back in the now dim store. Passing by the shelves he noticed quite a few things out of place and not looking proper. Iris had been his cashier tonight so he knew she was not fully to blame for this, but it didn’t look like Ravus even touched half of the aisles. Scowling, he allowed himself yet another moment of bitterness at the fact that Ravus was only here because he was Luna’s brother.

Silently, he got his own stuff ready to go and on their walk to the front, Iris walked in stride with him and patted his arm. Her brother, Gladio, was the morning receiver, and the only one now that Ignis had been promoted, and even though he sensed Gladio resented him a bit for leaving, he knew Iris didn’t hate him for his decision.

“Want a drive home, Iggy?” She asked in a hushed tone, knowing Ravus might have a sassy comeback if he heard her call him that.

“It’s okay, it’s better that I walk, the night air will help clear my head.” He smiled at her, even though she looked a bit put out.

“I get that, but are you sure? You don’t live too close by and I just wanna make sure you’re okay.” She said, and even though she meant well, she didn’t know that Ignis hated his choice of walking because it made him feel like people pitied him. He almost wanted to scream ‘I have a vehicle’ at everyone because of how people looked down at him when they heard that he chose to walk to and from work.

“Believe me, Iris, if I wanted to drive I would. I still have a car, I just really need to sort myself out.” He said completely honestly. He enjoyed walking, he enjoyed having those moments to just think. It seemed healthy to him, much better than stewing at home in his own slowly growing depression.

“Oh, well, okay then...but if you do ever need anything don’t be afraid to ask. I’m here.” Her tone was ever sweet and comforting, and it did help, knowing that some people he worked with respected and cared for him, but this was his one little solace, getting to walk and think.

Locking up the store and saying their goodbyes, they all parted ways as Ignis began his journey home.

He was right about needing that time to think, as he had now been able to review everything that happened during the day and make a solid game plan for the rest of the week. He was determined to work harder on his side projects and hopefully earn a bit of extra money.

For once he had to admit that even he was grateful for no external responsibilities; no pets, no friends, no relationships that require his attention. Normally he allowed himself to feel lonely about this, but as he walked home tonight and made his mental weekly schedule, he was happy that he didn’t have to split up his time between anyone else. Maybe he would even begin to feel like a functioning adult one of these days.

By the time he got home it was just after ten o’clock, still a couple hours before he would head to bed. Normally he would have a small snack at work and make himself a sandwich at home, but he found recently his desire to cook more began to consume him, which he lauded himself for doing, as it meant he was taking responsibility for his health and not spending so much money out. At the moment he found himself dabbling in desserts and pastries more often than not, despite not really having a sweet tooth, he often brought his creations to work, much to the pleasure of his coworkers.

Grabbing a pan off the hook and a couple eggs and other small ingredients from the fridge, he started making just a simple dish of a cheese omelette, just something fast and easy to make but still made him feel as if he put some effort into it.

Plate in hand, he made his way into his living room and plopped down on the couch, legs crossed over each other as he turned on his TV and put on an episode of a mainstream sitcom that he didn’t necessarily enjoy, but captured his attention for the twenty minutes he allowed himself to wind down after work.

Food eaten, drawling entertainment devoured, and ensuring he had another glass of water to drink; he padded down the small hallway to his bedroom where he had his rather large bed taking up the majority of the space, facing towards the middle of the room, on the far side by the window he had his large dresser that went a generous way up the wall.

On his desk he had several notebooks and a scattering of pens. His laptop currently sat in his work bag, as he took it with him in the mornings. Digging it out and plugging in the charger, he booted it up as he began undressing and putting on more comfortable clothing.

The silence in the small house was palpitating, but Ignis couldn’t allow himself to be concerned with that at the moment. He knew from experience how hard it would be for him to sleep if he dwelled too much on the past.

Slipping on some baggy sweatpants, he remained shirtless out of comfort, and pulled out the chair so he could sit at the desk. He loaded up his music player and immediately started playing a song he enjoyed as he opened up his word document and continued working on it for a bit.

When sleep finally began to consume him, he shut everything off, brushed his teeth and methodically went to bed, as he did every night, the same routine over and over, which was honestly what was likely causing the decline in his mental health.

Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and he had a plan and by the Gods he was going to get things done.

Tomorrow.

***

He had felt good when he walked into work the next day. He hadn’t seen Noctis until he entered the manager’s office where he sat with his head in his hands, looking miserable but in reality, Ignis knew he was just trying to keep his eyes closed as much as possible.

After checking the schedule and being pleased to see both Aranea and Iris on his list of closers, he felt like today he would actually get stuff done, although knowing Noctis was on shift today gave him little hope of getting much work that wasn’t on Noctis’ list done, but hey, at least one list would get fully completed by the end of the day.

“Are you awake over there, Noct?” He asked, reaching over to lay a hand on his coworkers shoulder, when the younger man quickly shot up at the sound of his voice.

“A-Ah! Ignis! Yeah, I’m good, always good, very good. Yup.” He sounded frantic, as if this wasn’t the same thing that happened on a solid 90% of his shifts.

“Uh huh. So, how’s it been today?” He chose to ignore the way Noctis frantically tried to clean up after himself and make it look like he had been busy.

“Ah, well, you know, the same old same old. It’s been going.” Ignis could not contain his urge to mutually chuckle and scoff at the same time. Noctis was very dear to him, more so than almost anyone else at the store, but he never seemed to be able to take his job seriously, which in truth, ticked Ignis off in a way that almost outweighed his own platonic love for him.

“Noct...did anything get done today?” Noctis visibly cringed at the question and didn’t look the older man in the eyes.

“Well it’s been busy, but we did what we could so far. It shouldn’t be busy tonight anyway.” Noctis shrugged and Ignis sighed, not able to contain the eye roll any longer.

“With the new coupon? The 45% one that’s only for members that you and I both know people are going to throw hissy fits over because they want that extra 5% off of 10 items when they know we can’t? Yeah, definitely not going to be busy. It’s only Friday.” Ignis couldn’t stop himself, but he tried to keep his tone relatively light hearted by emphasizing it all with a playful tap on Noct’s shoulder.

Noctis didn’t respond to him after that and pretended to keep busy on the office computer. There was a small twinge of regret by sounded so angry at the other manager, the management team was small and they needed to stick together, but sometimes he wished that their mid-shift manager took his job more seriously.

A few more moments of awkward, tense silence later and Ignis decided to get to work. Opening up the office door and walking through to the oddly overly warm retail floor.

***

“So I saw this online and I want to recreate it. How?”

“You know that video of the person making this?”

“How can I remake this?”

“Do you know anything about jewelry?”

“What do you mean you don’t know every single item in the store? You only have 92 aisles.”

“Well I’ll just come back later and use my coupon again and you can’t stop me.”

Repeat all of those fifteen times each for the next four hours and you have the gist of Ignis’ day, sprinkle in a few “I want to speak to a manager”’s in there and you have it all.

He was almost at the end of his rope, and waiting for Noctis to come back from the washroom so that he could take his lunch break, and in a small moment of reprieve, he ducked into the far side of a not commonly used aisle, and leaned against one of the big metal beams in then store and let out a long, shuddering breath.

“Hey dude, you doing okay?”

The voice was small and almost high pitched. Boyish and calm with a very casual connotation to it.

Almost snapping to attention, Ignis cursed himself for thinking he could take a break, no matter how small. Turning to face the person in question, he found himself needing to take a second to gather the right words in the right order.

Boyish was not the word he would use to describe his physical appearance, but rather youthful and visible energy almost radiating from him. His eyes were bright and eager, his whole body language screamed ‘I’m over-excited and happy and I love attention’ but Ignis found it to be endearing rather than something that put him off.

“I...am. Yes, I apologize, I shouldn’t be slacking off...can I help you?” He said, words slower than normal as he tried to hide the flush beginning to form on his cheeks. One look at the blonde man had him unravelling in such a way he hadn’t thought possible, he felt creepy, feeling this way towards a customer who probably just wanted to buy his stuff and leave.

The blonde man shifted his weight from foot to foot visibly, not looking Ignis in the eyes any longer, to which did not escape Ignis’ attention and he felt uncomfortable with those implications, did he creep him out that badly? It seemed to be, until he opened his mouth again.

“I’m actually...well, I know this is a bit of a loaded question...but I’m looking for props for a photoshoot, I just moved here a-and I didn’t get to bring my stuff... Actually, it’s...I’m okay, I see all the silk flowers and such, but then I saw you and well, just wanted to check in. Bad day, I take it?” Oh no, his voice was wavering and the words didn’t stop coming, what was going on?

It took Ignis a second to process all of the words spoken to him, but then it hit him, the implications of such a question…

“Oh, well, we’re really the only craft store in town, but what kind of shoots do you do?” His heart was thumping faster. A young adult, new to town...a photographer? No...there was no way.

“Don’t even get me started on photography, I don’t think your boss would be okay with me taking up five hours talking about it.” He chuckled and ran a hand through his fluffy blonde locks and Ignis smiled and shook his head.

“Well considering I’m the manager, I can’t say there’s anyone to tell me no.” He said, and he kind of hated that he always felt this strange feeling of cockiness that came with the term ‘I’m the manager’, especially when it wasn’t supposed to be that sort of snarky conversation that came with throwing that at an angry customer.

“O-oh. Wow, well, maybe...gah okay no, I’m sorry, I’m wasting your time, I’ll just go...look...around, I guess.” The blonde turned on his heel and Ignis felt the wave of desperation flood his whole senses. Reaching out subconsciously, he called out, probably a little louder than he had intended.

“Wait!”

And he did.

Turning on his heel, with an odd light in his eyes, the blonde looked up at him.

“Yeah man, what’s up?”

Every second counted. Time was running out and he knew it. _ Ignis! Godsdammit Iggy, get it together! _

“Tell me about photography.” He choked out, a sick sense of relief overpowering that initial wave of desperation he had felt when he saw the other person’s eyes flutter at the question. They stood in silence for a solid few moments, neither one seemingly wanting to speak because they feared it would be the end of the conversation. The sharp sound of the blonde sucking air in through his teeth as he suddenly clutched the bag at his side and with one hand rooted through it for a moment.

After what felt like an eternity later, he let out a soft yet triumphant ‘ah ha’ and thrust a slightly crinkled business card at Ignis.

“Here, look, this is me. I-oh, I guess I never actually said. I’m Prompto, and I’m sorry for the smunchy looking card, I only have a few left at the moment, but I...I would rather you have this now. My phone number’s on here b-but if that’s awkward, oh Gods I know it is, but my e-mail is there too. I won’t ask for yours, no pressure, just...if you do want to see...well…” He trailed off again, both hands now clutching the strap on the shoulder bag, not even looking anywhere close to Ignis now.

“Thank you...I mean...do you want me to contact you, or is this just a formality?” Ignis swallowed hard, he felt physically pained at this moment, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling but he knew it likely wasn’t going to end well, none of his friendships ever amounted to more then one-sided texts (one-sided meaning they attempt to contact him and Ignis never means to ignore people...he just gets distracted and by the time he gets around to messaging them it’s too awkward so he doesn’t.)

“I’d love to hear from you. Seriously, I don’t ever get to talk about my hobbies very much, and being new to town, well...it’s a new start for me. I can start with some good friends, and...ahh I’m sorry, I’m rambling.” He laughed nervously and Ignis could feel it in his toes. He, as someone who was not a talkative person, was often annoyed and irritated by folks who seemed to drone on for hours on end, but he felt like he could listen to and enjoy listening to what Prompto had to say.

“I will, Prompto. Likely as soon as I’m done my shift, hopefully that won’t be too late for you?” He asked, but he could feel that odd but not unusual feeling of awkward tension that often came with getting too close to customers that began to seep into his bones. He would often have great conversations but sooner or later it just felt wrong and he could almost sense it coming.

If Prompto felt it however, he made no indication as his smile only grew wider and the crinkle around his eyes became more prominent.

“No, I’m a night owl anyway, been working on some night time photography anyway. Kind of...at least, it’s still a bit scary in a new city at night so I’ve been sticking to my balcony mostly.” He let out a laugh and his body language seemed to open up more, even though Ignis knew he would have to end the conversation sooner or later. They were already pushing it as Ignis found it suspicious that he hadn’t heard his coworkers voices on the headset for the entire duration of this conversation.

“I should...probably check up on my staff, but...it’s been a pleasure, Prompto. I really do look forward to talking to you.” Ignis didn’t know how to make the parting any less awkward, but if Prompto felt it he still didn’t show it as he stepped aside to the side of the aisle to let Ignis go past, although it took Ignis a bit longer to pass as in truth, he didn’t really want to part with Prompto, if he believed in fate, he may feel like they had been fated to meet, although, he knew in his heart that he would end up screwing up any chance of a friendship they would have because they would chit chat on and off for a week and then Ignis was bound to stop replying.

“You too Ignis, have a good night.” Prompto waved him off and Ignis briefly felt a wave of confusion hit him. _ ‘How did he know my name?’ _ and then he remembered he wore a name tag at all times, so he was used to not introducing himself, but in that moment he felt so stupid for not saying something earlier.

_ Oh well _ , he thought, making his way to the manager’s office to see if there were any calls or emails he needed to sort out. _ Maybe I won’t completely fuck up this friendship _

It was that moment where Ignis heard his name over the headset and he was gripped back to the reality of his whole situation.

***

He had to fight the temptation to check his phone for the rest of his shift, and only once the store was actually closed did he dare check on the way to the staff room.

He saw two texts, both from Prompto, but it only had displayed the most recent one that simply said “ *nice “ which indicated a typo, he figured.

Blushing, and tucking his phone into his pocket, he didn’t realize that Iris was already walking up to him, without anyone else around her.

“I know you’re going to say no, but I think I’m legally obligated to offer you a ride home.” She grinned and leaned forward with her hands behind her back. Ignis perked up at this and he felt almost guilty for what he was going to say next.

“Actually, Iris...I wouldn’t mind a ride today if that’s actually okay with you.” He said, and could see that Iris seemed a bit shocked by this, so he added, “Honestly though it isn’t a big deal if not, I don’t mean to overstep any boundaries.” But the way Iris jumped up at him, waving her hands told him he was okay.

“That’s more than okay! Let’s get the store locked up and let’s go!”

Ignis suspected that Iris maybe knew more than she let on, but if she did, there was no actual indicator of it on her face. Aranea, on the other hand, had some shit-eating smirk on her face that Ignis chose to pointedly ignore.

It only took another five minutes to close up the store and as the three of them stood outside waiting for the locks to engage, Aranea gave Ignis a shove in the side and pointed at his pocket. Frowning, Ignis reached down and looked at his phone.

_ ‘Hot date? ;)’ _

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head at her but couldn’t escape the slight red tinge that grew on his cheeks and as he felt the familiar warm head, he knew that wouldn’t escape Aranea’s interest either but she seemed to drop it for now.

They said their goodbyes and as Iris and Ignis got into the car she shared with her brother, Ignis remembered another reason he didn’t often accept her ride offers. Their car reeked of fast food bags and cheap chemical air fresheners, but he supposed that for tonight he could handle it. Knowing she would be concentrating on driving, he dared open his phone again and take a look at the messages from Prompto he had received.

_ Unknown Contact: Hey man i know you’rte working but i figured it wouldn;t hurt to send a msg. It was nce to meet you and I hope we can talk soon :) _

_ Unknown Contact: *nice _

He smirked at the attempt made to correct the grammar, despite there being multiple typos and errors, he thought it was cute and he typed up a quick reply after making Prompto a contact in his phone.

_ “Hello Prompto, just on my way home. I would indeed enjoy talking to you again. How was the rest of your night?” _

And just as he turned off his phone screen Iris glanced his way.

“Who’s that?” She asked, in a tone that to Ignis, did not convey any sort of jealousy or ill intent but the normal amount of...Iris curiosity. As he and Gladio had been friends for years, it almost seemed to him that Iris thought of him as another brother figure, which she herself had stated multiple times over the course of the years.

“Oh just someone I met earlier. Quirky fellow.” That response did not seem to satisfy Iris but only made her curiosity shine brighter.

“Do I know him? What’s he like? Quirky as in kinda weird but a cool dude or quirky as in probably a creeper?” Her questions seemed rapidfire, but Ignis just shook his head and felt the soft vibration of the phone in his lap so he picked it up to check.

_ Prompto: Heeey! :P good to knwo i didn’t totally creep u out. My night was alright i mean theres not a whoel lot to do in this town but i went for a nice walk and got some cool shots. Wanna see? _

“I’d say a good kind of quirky, but we’ll see.” He said as he typed out a reply.

_ “Sure, I’d love to see. :)” _

He added that emoticon for good measure, but what he didn’t fully realize was that Iris was just pulling up to his house and had her own smile on her face.

“What?” He asked plainly, and he knew that he wasn’t able to hide anything from some of his coworkers, although he figured they didn’t have to know ALL of the details.

“Are you actually opening up to someone?” She asked, her expression full of support, she was almost glowing, and he realized that truly there was no malicious intent behind her questions, even though that should have been fairly obvious from the get go. He knew he had never discussed his current status known sexuality, or lack thereof, it was something that had been discussed quite a lot, especially among staff, but he was never one to engage in those conversations, although he presumed that had only opened the doors to rumours and other such discourse.

“I...suppose that could be one way to put it. Don’t go getting any silly ideas or anything, I bet our conversation will die off in a week. Don’t read into anything, Iris, and please for the love of the Gods don’t start spreading anything.” He allowed himself to frown, and was almost pleased to see her expression change.

“Oh no, no no no, Iggy I would never!” Looking almost a bit deflated, Iris flailed her hands out as a blush spread across her cheeks. Ignis took pity on her a bit and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Oh I know, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Just don’t read too much into this. I do appreciate the ride though, Iris. I look forward to working with you again.” Ignis went to open the door, so he grabbed his bag and phone and said his goodbyes to his friend, thanking her once again for the ride home, to which she ensured that it was no issue at all, speeding off into the darkness as Ignis walked up his driveway.

He managed to hold off checking his phone again until he unlocked his front door and slipped off his shoes. As he meandered into the kitchen to grab a snack he noticed there were several messages from Prompto that he hadn’t seen.

Opening the pictures, he saw several; two landscapes that looked like they were from on top of a mountain of sorts looking into a city, a couple of some bright fluffy Chocobos and one of a sunset on the shores of a lake. Ignis had to admit, they were stunning.

_ ‘Those are amazing, Prompto. I’m in awe at your eye for beauty in nature’ _

He barely had a moment to sip his water when his phone buzzed in his hand. Was it coincidence, or was Prompto waiting for his responses, Ignis wondered.

_ Prompto: wekll i mean, I saw you, didnt i? ;) _

Nearly choking, Ignis grew ever more flustered and shook his head at how forward this conversation seemed to be going.

_ ‘That’s quite bold of you, Prompto.’ _

He wanted to type more, but at the same time, he wanted Prompto to make the first moves here, as he was always so scared of both rejection and making a fool out of himself. Thankfully he needn’t wait long for the now familiar and expected buzzing in his palm.

_ Prompto: o i guess thats weird isnt it? Yeeeeaaaah its weirsd sorry. I shouldn't have assumed you’d be ok with some rando flirting with u. _

The inconsistent way he was typing inclined Ignis to believe that Prompto definitely would pick and choose what he was detailed oriented towards. Text messages were not it.

_ ‘That’s quite alright. In truth it surprises me. I have not been the target of those kinds of affections. It is...new to me.’ _

He placed his phone on his bed while he slipped out of his daytime clothing, and by the time he crawled into his bed, he wasn’t surprised to see a reply. Normally he would have taken some time to work on his writing, but he decided that this would supply more entertainment this evening.

_ Prompto: thats crazy. Ur like...stunning. _

Well now that just isn’t fair, is it? Ignis felt something stir within him that he had never felt before, sort of a mix of fear and anticipation and excitement and disbelief? Oh goodness what was he feeling?

He knew what he was feeling.

He had a crush on Prompto, a man he met only mere hours prior. Was that the right word? He appreciated the flattery but it also made him cautious, even more so than normal.

He told himself this was normal, everyone felt like this at least once in their life, sure maybe not towards someone they met while at work, but hey, Prompto seemed to be the one initiating it.

It felt unusual though, as if he was doing something wrong.

‘_ Whilst I appreciate the sentiment, I am unsure that I quite agree with you.’ _

“So this is who I’ve become…” Ignis sighed, feeling a bit scummy for using that wording, but he also didn’t have the power to stop himself. In the moment he felt humble, but then realized once he sent it that he was self-deprecating and kind of annoying.

His phone buzzed, as expected, and it seems that Prompto didn’t miss it either.

_ Prompto: Seems like u need some self confidence dude! Wanna hangout tomorrow or do u work?? _

_ ‘Apologies. I did not mean to make it sound quite that self deprecating; I actually have tomorrow off. Where would you like to meet?’ _

The response was immediate.

_ Prompto: i had to sell my car when i moved but id like to show you some cool spots u ok with bussing a bit?? _

_ ‘Actually, I have a car...I can meet you wherever and if you aren’t too far out of the way I may be able to pick you up.’ _

He was beginning to drift to sleep when he dropped his phone on his pillow and sighed heavily. He usually loved to use his days off to recharge, not usually one to actually go out of the house during those days, but he figured he may actually want to put in some effort to this. He was thinking about it when he heard the now lovely sound of an incoming text.

_ Prompto: o shit. Yee actually wanna pick me up and we can grab coffee and ill take u to my favourit spot to shoot pics in the city!! I cant wait! What time do u wanna meet/ _

_ Prompto: *? _

Outright chuckling at this point, Ignis asked for his address but didn’t realize Prompto sent it while he was typing. It turned out to only be less than ten minutes away.

_ ‘Is 9am too early for you?’ _

Ignis figured this way they could get out and back sooner, so he didn’t spend his morning anxious about the whole experience.

_ Prompto: Is 7 ok?? The sun doesnt show up until around 8 since its like almost winter n stuff and i wanna show u the sunrise _

Ignis seemed a bit surprised, was it possible that Prompto was a night owl AND early bird? Either way, he texted his agreement and set him alarm for a bit earlier so he could shower and possibly fill his car up with gas if need be.

Falling asleep, he thought about his day with Prompto in the morning, maybe things would work out after all.

***

7am was not too far off from his normal wake-up time, but Godsdamn did he hate waking up earlier than need be.

Yawning, he slipped into the bathroom and started to run the hot water for a shower, letting his pajama pants fall to the floor. He noticed that one part of his body in particular was seeking attention, which, although not totally out of the blue, was not something he had time to deal with this morning, so he let his hand wander for a moment, satisfied with some brief relief until he forced himself to stop and get into the shower.

None of that was too concerning or abnormal, but usually he did not think of pretty blonde boys as he sought the relief.

Clean and dressed in a light blue button up, he put on a lightweight grey vest and dark gray slacks. He worried that Prompto would want to do some hiking so he made sure to wear some more heavy duty shoes. It was still really chilly out, especially in the mornings, so he didn’t worry about his clothing.

Grabbing his car keys, he locked the front door and did a quick once over of his vehicle to make sure it didn’t smell too stale, which given it only got use two days of the week anymore was quite a common issue.

The drive to Prompto’s house was quick, which he was grateful for, as he hadn’t remembered how many school zones there were in that area.

He was also grateful that as soon as he pulled into the driveway and went to reach for his phone to text Prompto that he had arrived, he heard a dull ‘thud’ and saw Prompto bounding over to his car. Smiling, he got straight over to the passenger side and placed two different bags at his feet.

“Good morning, Prompto.” Ignis said, feeling a small creeping of heat across his cheeks. He hoped Prompto didn’t notice, but he focused on backing out of the driveway.

“Hey man! Morning, I didn’t expect you to come out this morning...wanna grab coffee before we head out?” Prompto seemed rather jittery, he was wearing some worn jeans, not disgusting by any means but by far more ‘hiking’ looking clothing than Ignis had chosen to wear.

On his top half was a done up soft looking fabric jacket with a black body and red plaid sleeves, he looked comfortable, but also kind of hipster, Ignis wasn’t too sure he was in love with the outfit but he was definitely envious of the way Prompto could pull it off with his tousled hair and freckled face.

Unfortunately, Ignis had spaced out thinking about Prompto’s outfit for too long that he was a bit startled by the awkward silence that seemed to stretch in the car.

“Ah, yes, coffee...I dare say Prompto, your outfit is quite the number. Looks comfortable to say the least.” He figured he may as well shed some light onto that stretch of silence, he didn’t want Prompto to feel uneasy at all. Thankfully talking seemed to perk him right back up.

“Yeah I actually...I think I got everything sans underwear at a thrift store, like this jacket was $10?” He tugged on the collar, and looked somehow even more cozy in the coat. Ignis nodded as he pulled up to a chain coffee shop drive thru, the line surprisingly shorter than normal and he looked expectantly at Prompto as he pulled up.

“What would you like?” He asked, watching as Prompto was visibly trying to analyze the whole situation, as if imagining every single possibility and outcome.

“Uhh, can I get a large double double, but don’t worry, I’ll pay! I mean, you’re the one driving.” He said and Ignis couldn’t help but smile. It look him a few moments to settle on that sentence. Ignis shook his head and pulled up to the order window.

“Don’t worry about it, I got it.” He whispered over and ordered their coffees, the total coming up to just under $4 so it wasn’t worth asking Prompto to pay for anyway.

He had a small fear that they were going to launch into another bought of awkward silence, but it seemed like Prompto was more eager to fill it this time.

“You know, I never used to drink coffee...but after moving it’s been the one thing I can really count on to wake me up. It also helps motivate me to leave the house in the morning, I know I shouldn’t be so dependant on it but honesty I’ve cut down to one or two a day so I think I’m okay.” He shrugged and took a small sip of the still hot coffee before sliding it over to the cup holder.

“Alright so that’s as far as I know where to go, lead me.” Ignis said and was honestly rather shocked to see Prompto shiver in his seat. Was it too cold in the car?

“Ah, well, take the highway and turn left right before the bridge, and basically keep going up the mountain.” He smirked, grabbing his camera out of the bag at his feet and starting to press a bunch of buttons on it, with little beeps and boops filling the air.

“Sounds easy enough, so, tell me about what you love about photography.”

***

He spent the whole morning with Prompto, they drove for a solid twenty-five minutes up the mountain and then proceeded to walk almost all uphill for another twenty. Although he found the morning light peeking above the mountains and illuminating the waking city to be a gorgeous sight, he much more enjoyed the look of the blonde who accompanied him on this journey.

Along the way they had stopped for Prompto to get pictures of various things. A deer munching still dew-y grass; macro shots of various plants, along with pictures of their view along the way.

He briefly wondered if his frequent stops bothered Ignis, but the way the taller man asked to see the pictures after Prompto had stopped pressing the shutter indicated that he was at least very good at feigning interest. Everytime he turned the camera towards Ignis and the tips of their fingers brushed, he got a small electric curl that travelled through his spine. He definitely wanted these outings to be a more frequent thing.

Ignis felt the exact same way with every minute graze of skin on skin, and he hoped that the feeling was mutual. He caught Prompto glancing over at him several times, but there were other explanations for this, Ignis reminded himself. It didn’t automatically mean that there was any attraction there, no matter how much Ignis wished there to be.

By the time they were almost near the foot of the walking trail again a couple hours after they had first begun their trail journey, he noticed Prompto getting a little fidgety. Mistaking it as him getting eager to get home, Ignis wanted to ignore it, but after the third time, he stopped and looked at him, not directly but more in his general direction.

“Are you okay? Did I upset you at all?” Ignis asked, concerned that the had hurt the other man’s feelings in some way.

He was surprised when he received a rather loud “No!” in response and a wild shake of blonde hair.

“Oh no no, I had an amazing time. I’m currently having an amazing time. To be honest I think I’m just sad that it’s over.” Prompto had a flush to his features that Ignis was surprised to see. His heart skipped a beat; the feeling may be mutual after all. He didn’t want to rush into things, so he took a moment to decide his next move carefully, and as he cleared his throat to get the blonde’s attention, he looked over to scan the horizon.

“Well...it doesn’t have to be over. And, well, if it does, we can always just plan a next time. Have you ever been to the mountain on the other side of the lake there?” Ignis pointed over at a ridge that crested well above the waterline, towering over the ridge they had been up. It seemed like a denser forest than the relatively plain trail they had just been up.

Prompto beamed brighter than the sun as Ignis explained his idea for their next date. _ Date _ He mentally berated himself. They were just two people hanging out still, nothing official, Prompto really had to get his excitement under control before he risked getting severely disappointed like all the other times.

“That seems like quite the expedition. You sure you’re up for that?” Prompto asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot again. He wanted to hang out with Ignis but there was something gnawing at him telling him that the excursion was a bit much for their first adventure.

“You’re right. By the time we get there and get started, the sun will be far too high. What would be within your comfort zone then?” Ignis asked, getting a little antsy at the awkward back and forth.

Prompto hesitated a moment, looking like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how to phrase it. Ignis pulled out his car keys and then continued over in that direction.

“How about you think about it for a moment. I’m getting rather peckish so I’d like to get some lunch at least. If that’s reasonable to you, you are welcome to join me, or I can take you home if you have other plans.” Ignis, feeling like he provided the perfect middle ground solution, watched as Prompto’s face it back up.

“No, lunch sounds great to me. Where were you thinking?”

Gods, if Prompto had a tail, Ignis knew it would be going a mile a minute by this point.

“There are several good spots to consider, but there’s a rather delightful little bistro not far from here, the meals are rather affordable as well for the quality.” Ignis opened the passenger side door for Prompto and then got into the driver’s seat, adjusting the fans so that some of them blew towards Prompto, as he was not used to having a second person in the vehicle.

As they pulled away from their parking spot, Ignis felt determined to engage Prompto in more meaningful conversation, asking him about where he came from and how he got into photography in the first place. This, it turned out, was an excellent idea, as the blonde was able to fill the entire fifteen minute car ride with talk about his rather lackluster childhood but how it manifested into an interest of preserving memories. Which is where photography came into the picture, and how he had landed several large scale jobs and awards over the years.

Ignis couldn’t help but feel that familiar sting of jealousy that hit him. Someone who had their promising future taken away from him, he still, all these years later, found it difficult to find joy in the achievements of others because he was unable to, or rather, unwilling to take any risks with himself. However, he managed to swallow down any trace of bitterness once he realized and understood the feelings he had in an effort to not be so terribly toxic minded.

“That’s...really great, Prompto. I’m glad that you were able to find something you were so passionate about.” He said, and was surprised at how earnest it felt saying it, when Prompto looked at him with wide eyes as he began parking the car.

“What about you, Ignis? What drives you?” Which really took him for a loop. How did he answer this, he had no real hobbies, certainly nothing that such an accomplished man would find interesting.

“I, uhh...can’t say that I have found my...key priority yet.” He sniffed, avoiding the question as much as possible.

“Oh man, don’t say that. I mean, it’s fine to not have a hobby, I didn’t really find mine until I was at my lowest point. So maybe it’s a good thing?” Ignis visibly winced when Prompto spoke. Turning off the car’s ignition and undoing his seat belt.

“That is perhaps...another conversation for another time.” He said with the least amount of salt he could muster. Prompto seemed to pick up on that and looked quite dejected.

“I’m sorry if I hit a sore spot. I should really think before I speak.” He tried to chuckle, but felt a lump in his throat that was essentially all of his anxiety telling him that he screwed up. Ignis thankfully took it in stride and shook his head.

“It’s alright, Prompto. I feel so ill-intent from you. It’s just more melodrama than it’s worth to repeat at the moment. So how about we just go inside and enjoy some lunch and good company. I am admittedly quite eager to hear about your exploits.” He said as he opened his door and waited for Prompto to get out as well, before he locked up the car and put some change in the curbside meter. Then the two of them walked just under a block to the restaurant. A cute building with a light yellow paint on the outside, decorated with paintings of tomatoes and other vegetables on the side.

“Quite the paint job.” Prompto smirked, holding the door open for Ignis, who nodded his thanks.

“I work with someone who quite detests this place simply for the decor. A shame really.” Ignis sighed, thinking about Noctis and his hatred of healthy food.

“I knew someone like that too. I mean, I dated him for a bit, but it was a long distance thing and...yeah, I mean he loathed veggies.” Prompto snickered into his sleeve at the memory. Ignis abruptly turned to face him.

“He?” Ignis had had his suspicions after their texting conversation, but it was almost a relief to hear it said out loud. Prompto on the other hand, felt a weight stick to his chest once again.

“Y-yeah...is that an issue? I mean, I get it…” He muttered, face reddening with embarrassment. Ignis noticed and placed a soft hand on his shoulder. Temporarily forgetting exactly where they were and the purpose of being there.

“That’s...perfect, actually. Whilst I can’t say I have experience in that area, that aligns very much with the preference I assume I have.” Blushing equally as hard as Prompto, Ignis tried to keep his voice as low as possible while still seeming confident in himself. It seemed however, that the blonde had more spacial awareness than Ignis in this particular moment, so he looked at him and said softly,

“Can we discuss this more at our table?” His words were gentle but he found he could no longer look Ignis in the eyes. This took the taller man by surprise, but he respected the request and instead they walked further into the establishment where the ordering counter was.

They took their time ordering, grabbed their drinks and sat at a booth against the far wall to await their food. There was a thick silence between them, but this was unlike the other silences during their trip. There were unspoken words here, there was anticipation and expectation. Neither of them knew how to proceed, until Prompto cleared his throat.

“So...you’re...gay?” He asked quietly, gaze shifting side to side as if he was self-conscious about their whole conversation. Ignis exhaled slightly louder than he thought he would, but leaned forward slightly, leaving his palms flat on the slick tabletop and head bowed somewhat.

“I am. I think. I admit I have not had...experience in the matter. I tend to drop friendships rather quickly, too quick to retain valuable relationships.” He admitted, but it didn’t escape his vision that Prompto inched his hands closer to Ignis’ on the table. His heart was fluttering; was this a normal reaction? This was their first time hanging out and they barely knew each other really.

“There’s nothing wrong with that...experience isn’t important really.” Prompto said with a sad tone, Ignis carefully moved his hand ever so closely to Prompto’s until they were but a hair's breadth away. The air around them was palpable, so thick with unsaid words and a good sort of tension that it felt almost suffocating.

“So I take it that you are…” Ignis could feel his chest tighten and he looked up finally, eyes meeting the gaze of the blonde’s, asking a hundred different questions at once, when Prompto opened his mouth to speak but neither of them noticed the server approaching until she set a plate down in front of them, causing both of them to jump up.

“Enjoy your meals, gentlemen.” She said curtly and rushed off before they could ask for anything else. Whether she was trying to give them privacy or was generally standoffish Ignis could not determine, but he was grateful she was gone either way. Prompto seemed to sink back into himself with a flushed face and his hands immediately dropped to his sides. Ignis frowned, he had to find a way to bring this conversation back, mostly for his own selfish reasons.

“You don’t have to answer if you aren’t comfortable.” Ignis said, moving his hand back to grab his fork and stab at the leafy greens on his plate. Prompto sighed heavily and looked around his shoulder before answering.

“It’s okay, no use really hiding it...I am...” He said, and Ignis suddenly got the feeling that Prompto discussing his sexuality may be akin to him talking about his past and how he almost snapped in the car over the question earlier, so he decided to make the conversation lighter.

“There are some things that are hard to say out loud. I understand, so we can just drop the topic and move on if you’d like. I for one wouldn’t mind hearing about your future plans instead.” Ignis poured some dressing over his salad and let Prompto take some bites of his own food before looking at him with an almost expectant look. It took a few moments, but once he was ready, Prompto smirked and yet another slow blush appeared on his face.

“Do you want experience?” The way Prompto asked that was too casual, almost as if he were making a point, but there was something that he couldn’t place with the way that he asked. Ignis tried hard not to get himself caught off guard as he narrowly avoided choking. What would be an acceptable way to answer this, or was Prompto really being as innocent as Ignis thought he was. It took him several more moments to answer, which he could honestly see Prompto’s expression faltering slightly, as if it were a mere moment of confidence rather than his true personality.

“I guess that would really depend. I don’t know how much effort I’m willing to put into finding someone to experience it with, but if someone were to fall into my lap under mutual consent then I guess I wouldn’t say no.” He tried to leave it as ambiguous as possible, was this what flirting was? Oh Gods, were they flirting? Was he leading Prompto on? A cold sweat began to form on the back of his neck. Thankfully, his companion chuckled and let out a slight sigh before continuing to munch on his lunch.

“Yeah...after my last experience I might be too eager to forget about him and move on. Sorry if I came off as creepy.” He shoved a couple more fries in his face as Ignis thought about the implications of his words. This wasn’t the first time he mentioned his ex, but it seemed like either he had a few exes, or his last experience as a whole was by no means a pleasant situation.

“You did not come off as creepy, I believe we both may be trying to match each other’s energy here. You as someone wishing to forget their previous encounter and me as someone who has not socialized with anyone with my preference that I do not have a strictly professional working relationship with. I admit, you make it far too easy to forget about boundaries and normal decorum, Prompto.” Ignis’ voice became low, almost gravelly as he spoke. He noticed the way Prompto swallowed hard that perhaps things were escalating at a pace he had not anticipated when he first arrived at the blonde’s house this morning.

“What sort of boundaries are we talking about, Iggy?” There was a hint of sassiness in his voice, his plate over half empty as if he were rushing through his meal at this point.

Ignis, on the other hand, had already been well over halfway through his and was a little bit more thoughtful with his actions.

“Well…” He made a contemplative noise and then continued, “I suppose the normal sort of boundaries someone should have during a first date.” His heart felt like it was on fire, and he was only vaguely certain that he was not currently having a heart attack as his mouth spoke faster than his brain could keep up with and tell him not to say some things. He suddenly felt a pressure on his leg, something heavy, and it just stayed there. It took him a moment to realize that it was Prompto’s foot, and he knew it had to be intentional as there was no indication of it being removed.

“You sure know how to surprise a guy, Iggy. You invite them out on a hike and it turns into a date?” Ignis was more than aware of the new cadence in Prompto’s voice, and if they weren’t in public, he would have been more than happy to try his luck with clasping the blonde’s hand, but he at least had enough decency to refrain from that for the time being. Instead, he opted for a sly move of his leg, so that Prompto’s foot was on the other side of his calf now, likely leaving a dirt mark across his pants but in the moment he didn’t even care.

“Are you saying you’d rather this just be a big misunderstanding and we part ways as awkward, platonic pals?” His confidence was finally starting to shine through, and although they had kept their voices down, there was always a nagging fear in the back of his brain that someone was listening in on their conversation.

“I’d rather not, to be honest. There’s a lot of things I think I’d like to do, but...I’m probably rushing and I don’t want to do that to you.” He removed his foot from Ignis’ leg, smirking a bit, but then Ignis noticed how he had been wringing his hands together. How long had he been doing that? Was it a nervous twitch, or was he trying to ground himself?

Steeling his nerves, Ignis quickly gathered their new empty dishes and took them over to the little drop off bin by the front counter of the bistro, he walked back over to their table and looked at Prompto, tempted to hold his hand out, but refraining.

“Shall we discuss this in the car? I do believe you and I have both had enough of speaking about this in public.” He waited for Prompto to nod and get up out of the booth, following directly behind Ignis as they thanked the person at the counter and walked out of the restaurant.

When they left, they fell into step beside each other as they made their way back to Ignis’ car.

“Where are we going next?” Prompto asked, resuming his hand-wringing, earning a curious look from Ignis. He didn’t pry, but he wanted to make sure he wasn’t putting any unnecessary pressure or anxiety on Prompto.

“Well we can either just drive around and chat, or, well, you are more than welcome to come over, but I understand if you would not want to right away.” Ignis said, less than a block away from his parked car.

“Umm, well I don’t want you to waste all that gas, especially if we don’t really have a destination. I mean...I think I trust you, do you have any roommates?” Prompto asked, his nervous demeanor from before the diner resuming.

“I do not. I live alone, however, I must reiterate Prompto, I am content with not going to my house. I’d rather you feel safe.” He said, taking his keys out and already having an idea in his head. “And actually, there’s...somewhere private we can go, it would be a lot less awkward than having the conversation we were having in a public diner.”

Prompto looked up at him, curiosity showing in his eyes.

“It’s a bit of a drive, but I think a photographer like yourself could find merit in such a journey, your call.” Ignis said as they reached his car, opening the doors and sliding into the warmed seats, thankfully they were not leather seats.

“I think I’d love to see your house the next time we hang out, but your photo spot has me intrigued.” He said, grateful that Ignis was not pushing them immediately going to his house.

“I think the reality kind of hit me somewhere after you took our plates away that like...we’re actually here? You know? Like, we’re talking face to face and I think I’m flying too fast and not thinking properly. Thinking with the wrong sort of head if you know what I mean. Like, I don’t even know you but I felt okay with going to your house and invading your privacy? I don’t know man like, it was a tough realization.” Prompto found himself stuttering and rambling a bit, not that Ignis minded, but it did give him a bit of a clearer idea of Prompto’s actual boundaries that weren’t clouded by his flirtatious nature.

Ignis opened the door to his car and slid into the seat, waiting for Prompto to do the same. What he had in mind was to go to a little lookout just outside of town, where they could park the car and watch the lights of the city and talk in almost complete privacy without being overheard but still in a relatively public setting so hopefully their mutual anxiety about being so close to a stranger but in a different territory would begin to dissipate. He looked at his watch, cursing the fact that he still had to work tomorrow, wishing that this day wouldn’t end.

“I understand. We’ll save it for the next time. Or however long until you’re comfortable with the idea.” He said, fitting the key into the ignition and checking his mirrors and over his shoulder before pulling away from the curb.

“Is that okay? You can honestly just drop me off at home if you’re having a bad time.” Prompto squirmed in his seat a bit, and Ignis noticed that for the first time this whole trip he pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped away at a screen a bit.

“I did not mean to imply any such thing...I was actually hoping to take you to that lookout spot. It is still rather secluded, but there are likely hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts out and about so we can talk undisturbed in the car.” Turning down side streets to avoid downtown traffic; Ignis steadily made their way past the busier intersections, headed in the opposite way of the mountain they hiked up earlier in the morning.

“May I ask, Prompto...you seem less okay with this whole situation now that we are out of the restaurant. Have I done something to upset you?” Ignis stopped at a red light and tempted a look over at Prompto, who seemed a little more at ease.

“Ah, Iggy it’s not you...I just have a lot of baggage that you shouldn’t have to worry about. I get super cocky and then like, deflated.” He said with a hint of sadness and Ignis decided enough was enough. If whatever they had going on was going to continue, someone had to open up first, but he couldn’t find a tactful way to say it without making it sound like he was trying to make it about him.

“I turned 22 earlier this year, on the cusp of 23 actually, and I’m still a virgin. Not once have I engaged in...carnal activities. I had the opportunity with a coworker a while back but I chickened out and then he moved on to another one of our coworkers and whilst I have quite a lot to say about manager/employee relations, I fear most of what I want to say will be disregarded by them as it would be construed as jealousy. I am not jealous and I’m very happy for them, but I also wonder where I would be had I taken the risk.” His hands tightened on the steering wheel as the light turned green and he made his way through the intersection. Prompto opened his mouth to speak, but felt the unsaid words in the air so he stayed quiet.

“I never used to be so doubtful of my actions,” Ignis continued, “but after losing both of my parents in a house fire which actually left me homeless and unemployed, I have lost all control over my life and have become directioness and indecisive. I work with so many brilliant people who are just getting through school, using this job as a crutch as, as far as big box stores go, there are worse options. We get paid well, and we feel generally valued and respected as individuals at the company. However...everyone is going somewhere and I’m just...there. Forever probably.” He found himself feeling both more free after explaining everything but also worse about himself as he had never actually expressed how he felt about his position before. Prompto understood that that was likely the end of that vent for the moment and tentatively reached out and placed a hand on Ignis’ thigh, close to his knee so it couldn’t be misconstrued.

“I...wow man, that’s a lot of unpack… but...I don’t think this is your final destination. I mean, I’m not trying to brag but I just turned 20 and I feel like I’ve used up all my potential already. I’ve gone to school, won some awards, and now what? I moved here to be closer to the one family member I have left and...now what? Having a career in my field is hard because every stay at home mom with some extra money is buying a digital camera and claiming to be a photographer. So I can keep submitting pictures to magazines and winning small awards and prizes but that kind of money isn’t enough to live on...but I don’t want to do anything else.” Prompto let loose a breath he didn’t know he was holding and he felt the slight sting of tears in the corners of his eyes. He hadn’t expected to open up so much on the drive.

Ignis hummed thoughtfully for a moment, remaining quiet for several long seconds before sparing a quick glance at Prompto and continuing to drive down a series of roads leading to the town’s agricultural district.

“What would make you happy?” Ignis asked. A simple enough question, and one that had been posed to him many times despite not actually having an answer to. Prompto wasn’t sure how to answer it either, as he dug his heels into the mat beneath his feet and held his camera bag close to his chest.

“I just...I just want to take photos.” Prompto whispered, leaning his head onto the back of the seat, hands still clutched onto his camera bag. He closed his eyes and his whole position screamed vulnerability. Ignis knew they didn’t have too much longer of their drive and then he would feel more comfortable offering physical comfort, but for the moment, he remained silent.

After another fifteen quiet minutes of driving, Ignis pulled up onto the dirt road to the outlook; there were no other cars up here, and the trees provided copious amounts of shade, meaning they could likely stay up here for quite a while. He had feared that Prompto wasn’t having a good time, until he noticed the occasional glance he would get; a slightly bitten lower lip, a hand crept onto the center console; small gasps after every small bump in the road...Ignis had to keep his head straight in order to make it up to their destination, and as soon as he pulled into the small dirt patch just off the road; almost perfectly covered by trees but still central enough where folks on the walking trail could clearly see his license plate; he killed the ignition and scooted his chair back and turned his body to face Prompto.

“Prompto, if you want to take photos, take photos. If you’re able to just go out and bring joy to the world through your art, you do it. Turn them into products, sell them to stock image sites, submit them to local galleries, but you do what you need to do to make yourself happy.” He said with no amount of falsities in his voice. He spoke from the heart, and Prompto could hear that in his tone. Ignis leaned forward a bit, placing one of his hands overtop of Prompto’s on the center console; Prompto’s breath hitching slightly as he did so.

“I...I just…” Prompto started; his face turning bright red and he couldn’t bring his gaze up to look Ignis in the eyes.

“Can I ask you something…” Prompto asked, instead of finishing his previous sentence, and Ignis nodded immediately before he could think about it.

“Is this weird? Like...I feel so close to you; I have never really felt this sort of energy vibe we got going on. Please tell me I’m not just imagining things either…” Prompto gulped, his face flushed and his eyes downcast, but the hand underneath Ignis’ felt like it was on fire yet Ignis refused to remove his own.

Before he knew what he was doing, Ignis leaned forward, bringing his face closer to Prompto’s to the point where he could feel the heated breath from his nose against his face.

“Today has been an experience for me as well...I daresay that you enchant me like no other has done before.” His voice whispered, hushed to the point where Prompto wasn’t sure if he was really hearing it himself or if it was just the ghost of the words he wanted to hear.

“I admit that I’m scared, I’m absolutely terrified of opening myself to you, but you’ve already heard part of my story and I think I want to let you in.” He continued, their breaths mingling in the small space between their faces. Neither of them were willing to make that first move at the moment, but their barriers slowly crumbling between them.

Prompto inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly as he dared move his free hand over to Ignis’ side, landing on the top of his knee and resting feather-light on the material. Ignis barely felt the pressure but he knew that signalled Prompto coming out of his shell oh so slightly.

“Is it a good thing if we’re both scared?” Prompto breathed, shifting very slightly in the passenger seat, leaning forward so the center console was somewhat digging into his hip.

Ignis, following Prompto’s lead, brought his free hand up and cupped the side of the Blonde’s face, both feeling and hearing the shudder of breath that he dragged out with his action.

“Will you allow me to see if I can scare us both a little more?” He said, an uncommon but not unfamiliar heat slowly trickled and settled down in his groin, a tight pressure forming in the front of his pants. That’s how he knew he was okay with this, okay with letting Prompto in, letting him be scared by him just a little more. He never got this kind of reaction from another person before, and he wasn’t about to let his normal fear take control of him and cast off this opportunity.

“I...yes. I want you to.” The words came out of Prompto like a sigh, airy and listless, but gave Ignis all the permission he needed.

Their lips met, after those agonizing minutes of hovering so close, when they finally connected, Prompto gasped and Ignis released a low moan in his throat. Their lips were but barely grazing each other, but that seemed to be the start of the avalanche of both of their needs combining. All in all inexperienced but eager, they placed small kisses upon each other’s lips, eyes barely closed and neither of them were quite sure what to do about their noses.

Then, Ignis pressed just a little further; lips a little more forceful, his breathing sped up just barely enough to notice a change, but Prompto seemed to get the idea.

He immediately moved the hand on Ignis’ knee up to his side, clutching at his loose fitting shirt, alarms set off in Ignis’ head at first, thinking his was being pushed away, but a sudden yank at his shirt indicated that Prompto wanted him closer. With that, he pressed another kiss to the blonde’s lips while removing his hand from the center console, maneuvering so that both of his hands were wrapped around Prompto’s shoulders. His body pressing closer, he felt Prompto shift in the seat, half pulling Ignis over to his side, half trying to adjust so they could both fit in one seat.

Their chests collided as they pulled each other close, their kiss becoming more eager, more frantic. Small noises in the forms of gasps and hums of appreciation made their way out of the two men, that combined with the ever growing heat of their bodies in the small car made for the reality of their situation to be clear.

This was real.

There was nothing graceful or controlled about what they were doing; there were wet, unpleasant noises that rang thick in the air, Ignis’ limbs protested silently at their awkward angle, and Prompto’s back was definitely not agreeing with the position he chose, but neither of them dared vocalize their discomfort. The pressure growing in front of their pants was a mutual feeling but one they again seemed to ignore as this kiss alone seemed to set off a reaction they couldn’t control.

Several more moments of awkward shuffling and repositioning and Ignis was the first to grow braver by running the tip of his tongue tentatively across Prompto’s chapped lips. He was surprised by how pliable the blonde seemed to be as he immediately felt Prompto granting him access to his mouth, warm and wet. Ignis dragged his tongue across sharp teeth, seeking to explore this unfamiliar area. Soft mewls escaped Prompto’s mouth to be quickly swallowed by Ignis, who in turn hummed low in his throat.

He had always read the term “battling for dominance” in his books when describing the way folks would make out, and it always made him uncomfortable, like there was some sort of force trying to overpower each other. He never understood it until now, and determined that it was more appropriately not a battle at all, but a dance. Prompto’s tongue retreating slightly to allow Ignis more room to explore, but soft, tender laps against the muscle, once he realized was both a disgusting and yet an intimate feeling. The thought of tasting a tongue, a foreign body that he didn’t know where it came from was revolting, yet he wanted to. He wanted to drown in all the tastes that Prompto was willing to give him.

The pull of his shoulder finally got to him, and with a sharp nip to Prompto’s bottom lip, he pulled away, albeit reluctantly. A sly smirk and flushed cheeks adorned the blonde’s face as they tried, poorly, to regain a sense of composure as they panted and ran fingers through their hair to regain their signature styles once again. The heat of the car making that more difficult than anticipated.

“Is that...ah, is that how you normally get your dates?” Prompto swallowed hard, sitting up gingerly, the front of his pants bulging quite prominently in a way he hoped to hide from Ignis’ view, but he supposed there was no escaping it now.

Ignis found himself choking down his anxiety and sudden flight response that got triggered from realizing where he is and what he was doing, but it came out of him as a nervous chuckle. After a few moments he composed himself and whilst avoiding Prompto’s gaze, looked in his direction.

“Not really, no. I admit I have nary a date much less a date like this. This is something out of a movie, Prompto.” He said and saw the instantaneous way that Prompto seemed to shrink into himself a bit, both of them feeling anxious and nervous about this situation.

“Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you. I just think we perhaps need to discuss this a bit more because I can tell you’re going to be the death of my inhibitions.” He said in a sly tone, his accident smooth and unwavering despite his nervousness.

“Whew, I’m glad you said that, cause like...I was a little worried for a second you’d push me out of the car and drive away.” Prompto sat straighter in his seat as he saw Ignis adjust his seat back to normal driving position, looking slightly more scandalized.

“I would never. However, it is quite humid in here, why don’t we go for a short walk and return to have that discussion then?” Ignis said and ensured his keys were in his pocket before they both opened their doors to let some cooler air in the vehicle.

***

The rest of the night went smoother than Ignis had anticipated, they had gone for a short jaunt along the walking path, with Prompto’s anxiety only seeping into his mind once or twice the whole duration. After returning to the car they talked for a surprisingly long time but came to the mutual agreement that they wanted to experience each other at not a slow pace but they didn’t necessarily have to dive head first, but they both agreed that taking it slow on purpose wouldn’t be effective but with the understanding that for whatever reason if one of them wanted to slow down, it would.

They ended their time on the mountain with a Prompto-certified selfie, and another heavy make out session. Their boners were more controlled this time as there was now an agreement between them at where their lines were, and then they drove back into town as boyfriends, officially, with a title and everything.

Ignis started the day single, with a self of self-depreciation towards the fact that he drove people away and yet when he pulled into his driveway, his gas tank far closer to empty than it had been in the morning, he was in a relationship, new and tentative, but one nonetheless.

The only thing he disliked was the pit at the bottom of his stomach knowing he had to go back to work tomorrow and he couldn’t just live in this bubble with Prompto.

That is, until Prompto showed up at his work the next day.

Ignis hadn’t necessarily ignored the texts that Prompto sent him throughout the morning, but Ignis knew he wasn’t replying as speedily as the blonde probably liked. It was mostly so he didn’t feel the sting of not having his phone at the ready while he was working, but it was also so he didn’t get overly invested or become clingy himself as he found himself thinking about Prompto perhaps a bit much during what was supposed to be his writing time.

When he got to work, the only person he saw there was Cindy, who was helping check out a customer. He nodded in her direction in case she saw him but otherwise made his way to the back of the store to the staff room. The only other person he encountered until the start of his shift was Sania, who had been on her break and kept making snarky noises at the fact that Ignis kept checking his phone. He gave in and had been chatting with Prompto, who had gone off on multiple different tangents, mostly about photography and video games. Both of which were fairly out of Ignis’ league, but he we trying to look it up at the same time to keep up to speed.

Checking the schedule, he was pleased that he was working with Aranea, but noticed that the cashier was Iris tonight, and she would pester him needlessly and he knew it, he just hoped he could stay busy enough to avoid the front area.

When his shift started, he went to the office to check on Noct, but he didn’t seem to be there. Sighing, he figured this meant he was either in receiving, checking his phone or pretending to look busy down one of the back aisles, if Cindy called him out on not doing any work. He hadn’t seen the floor person for the daytime but assumed it would be Ravus, in which case, Noct would almost assuredly be in the receiving area.

Vest on, pockets cleaned (you wouldn’t believe how much garbage gets accumulated in there) and equipment all charged and ready to go, Ignis stepped out onto the floor and beelined it to the back of the store to look for Noct. He knew that one of the doors to the area was rather squeaky, and he knew that Noct knew it, which meant he opened the one that was silent to move. Softly padding in the room, as much as Ignis was not someone to take over advantage of the knowledge of camera positions, he did know exactly where to go to avoid detection, which meant that Noctis was in one of two places, either in the side room by the extra frames, or up the stairs to the mezzanine where the extra signage and seasonal overstock was kept. The frame area was blocked by at least four pallets of stock so that was highly unlikely. So up the stairs he went. Going extra slowly to avoid the sound of his shallow heel clinking on the sensitive metal, he prayed that no one called into the headset because he knew Noctis would hear it if he was hiding up here.

As he rounded the small waist-height wall at the top of the stairs, he turned on his heel to face the small encove, expected to see a cowering ebony haired man clutching his phone to his chest in shock, however, he only saw...signs. Messy and unorganized signage but that was all nonetheless.

Frowning, he walked the length of the mezzanine, looking through every alcove for Noct. After scouring the whole area, he made his way back to the stairs and heard the loud creaking of the large plastic door. Frozen, he watched Noct walk in, place an item in the “damaged” bin by the door and walk right back out, not even a glance towards the stairs, meaning he didn’t even spot Ignis standing there.

He felt rude for letting a smile creep onto his face, Noctis seemed to actually be doing his job and taking it seriously, he was definitely proud of him.

After coming back down the stairs and heading down the long side row back to the front, he stopped to help several customers before hearing the call come from the front for assistance, the first voice he heard on the headset so far, which meant that today was rather slow, which he could confirm by eye-balling the floor.

As he walked to the front and saw that the return to floor bins for extra or forgotten product were almost all empty, he sighed and knew it would be a slower night.

He eventually found Noctis, putting back a cart of product, and they chatted for a moment, Ignis unable to contain the smile that spread on his face. He wanted to confide in Noct on his adventure with Prompto last night, but he knew Noctis had a big mouth so he kept it under wraps for the moment. It would come out sooner or later, but eventually the evening came to a close as it often did past five o’clock and Noctis went home

So now it was. just Ignis, Sania in framing, Aranea was texting in the back aisles where Ignis knew she would be, and Iris’ chipper voice could be heard throughout the floor.

Six o’clock rolled around, then seven o’clock, where Aranea and Iris would switch off and take their breaks one at a time. After that had settled down, he could hear the two of them chatting near the front, and couldn’t bring himself to assert his managerial status to break it up, they deserved to have a relaxing night too.

He found himself meandering in the yarn section, one that was always in dire need of help yet was an every day struggle that none could keep up with. As they were winding down their night, since the store closed in a couple hours, Ignis noticed the sounds of footsteps coming up one of the aisles. Putting the handful of skeins he was sorting away, he didn’t immediately leave the row to seek out the customer but instead found himself shocked when a soft voice filled the aisle, heard just over the pop music through the roof speakers.

“Hey so you ARE working tonight. I’m glad I stopped by then.” A not unwelcome voice said, and Ignis couldn’t even begin to pretend he wasn’t happy to see him.

“Hello Prompto, how are you?” He smiled, turning away from the bins of yarn to face his new boyfriend, who was dressed in a black t-shirt with a logo he was unfamiliar with, adorned with a yellow plaid shirt over top. He definitely seemed to like that patterning.

“I can’t complain. I missed you though, I hadn’t heard much from you today so I got a bit worried, but I know you work so I didn’t want to overthink it.” He said, a blush creeping up on his pale face. Ignis gestured to him to go into another aisle. He was confident that none of the yarn aisles could be seen on the cameras but the one they were currently in was closest to the next aisle that could be, so he didn’t want to risk it.

“So you decided to come here to make sure I was actually working and not just ignoring you?” Ignis cocked an eyebrow, he meant it to come off as a joking tone but quickly realized that Prompto took it personally as his expression deflated.

“Oh no, Prompto, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m so new to all of this relationship stuff, I know it’s not something trivial. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He said quickly, reaching out and trying to undo the remark by placing his long fingers on Prompto’s forearm.

“That’s not...naw Iggy, I get it. To be honest I need to pick some stuff up but I could have done it another day but yeah I wanted to see you so it was at least part of my motivation.” Sighing, Prompto looking over his shoulder before standing on his tip toes and pecking Ignis on the lips and then looking away, wide eyed.

“Oh no, that’s on your cameras now! I’m sorry! I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Prompto said almost a little louder than necessary, causing Ignis to double check to make sure his headset button wasn’t being pressed in his pocket.

“No, no, there’s, ah, none in this aisle, which is why I moved us back here. No one will see, that is of course, unless they’re a customer which, given how tonight’s been, is unlikely.” Ignis shifted around to ensure no one was walking in on them, but was only given a split second until Prompto pressed his chest up against Ignis’, bringing his hands up and around his back, almost shoving him back against the sharp edges of the yarn baskets. He nosed up against Ignis’ chest, almost as if he were trying to inhale his scent. Ignis’ heart stopped momentarily and sweat beaded along his forehead as he frantically shoved one hand in his pocket to turn off his headset radio as a precaution.

“P-promto…” Ignis groaned, blinking rapidly as the small blonde placed a knee in between his legs. This was not the shy, cautious Prompto from yesterday’s date. This was someone, something else.

“Ignis, I just need to know that this is real. I need to know you feel the same as me. I can’t...I can’t play around anymore and before I waste my time…” Prompto said, Ignis could see the red tinge around this eyes and he knew he’d been crying. An awful gut feeling sank into his stomach, thinking that Prompto had been concerned about him due to his previous relationships.

It was then that Ignis decided that he would give Prompto the world if he could. He regretted not taking more time to text him, even though he had been working during most of the afternoon. He exhaled, letting go of a breath he didn’t know he had been holding as he placed one hand in the small of Prompto’s back.

“I will not waste your time. I feel a deep attachment to you, Prompto, despite only knowing you for such a short time.” He whispered, as he knew how sounds could carry if someone was close by. He was beginning to get paranoid of a coworker finding them, but the moment that Prompto closed the gap and pressed his lips to Ignis’, he gave up any semblance of control as he returned the kiss with equal fervor. It was still clumsy, as he didn’t know what he was doing, but he allowed Prompto to nip at his lower lip; he opened his mouth in kind, allowing the blonde to take advantage of his inexperience by thrusting his tongue inside, filling him with the taste of something new.

It was almost sweet, in a weird sort of way, not like he had been eating sugary treats, but in the way after you smell an artificial fruit body spray and after smelling it, it seems to stick to the back of your throat. At least that’s what it reminded Ignis of as Prompto placed his arms around Ignis’ shoulders now, lifting himself up slightly. Ignis was now fully pushed back into the yarn baskets, not even caring that the metal edges were digging into his spine.

He felt the way his body reacted to Prompto’s forcefulness, but he didn’t feel overwhelmed by it at all, instead, he felt better about it since it meant he didn’t have to take control of a situation he wasn’t familiar with. Prompto’s hands moved down his back to cup his buttocks, slipping in between them and the metal bars, undoubtedly hurting, but not enough to complain about. He let out a very hushed moan, trying to keep quiet so he didn’t alert any other customers or Ignis’ coworkers.

Ignis, on the other hand, had his heart almost burst out of his chest as the blood pounded in his ears, deafening him successfully as he allowed Prompto to take almost full control of the situation, hands groping at the flesh of his bum, pulling erotic sounds from his throat as Prompto squashed their chests together.

Overwhelmed and entirely at his mercy, Ignis felt his knees almost give out at the contact, it was rough but still passionate, it felt real, of all things.

Prompto’s knee gently met the stiffness in his groin, causing the taller man’s body to quake slightly at the sensation. He knew he was quickly, very quickly, getting carried away. This went on, mouths pressed together with the air around them getting hotter and hotter, the front of his pants feeling mildly damp as Prompto kept nudging against him, careful prods against his bulge, egging him on, making him feel desperate with need to have more and more of Prompto.

When a sudden low beep filled the air, the tell-tale sign of someone using the front paging system.

“Manager to the front for return on Till 3”

Ignis nearly felt the air escape his lungs and the world around him collapse as both he and Prompto jumped nearly out of their skins at the sound.

Ignis knew exactly what he should do. Go to the front, tell them that his headset must have died and he wasn’t aware and apologize and move on. What he was doing instead, was catching his breath, hand over his mouth as he tried to calm his breathing, looking at Prompto Who looked equally frightened.

It took them both a moment until Ignis cleared his throat and said at the highest volume he could muster (which was still no more than a whisper);

“I...I should go see what they want.” And then chuckled and scrubbed the back of his head with his hand, watching Prompto’s expression change to a little more mirthful.

“Ah ha, yeah...probs a good idea.” Prompto said, awkwardly shifting from one foot to another.

“Thank you, Prompto. I feel a touch of rebellion coming on thanks to you.” Ignis said, chuckling and straightening up his vest And starting to walk around the corner of the aisle.

“Message me later if you’d like, but I do have to see how they’re faring.” Ignis mustered the courage and brought two fingers to his lips, kissing them and then turning them towards Prompto, who smiled wide and laughed in response.

“Sure dude, goodnight!”

***

They stayed this way for several weeks, flirting and kissing and meeting up for dates every few days. Ignis was beginning To feel the strain on his wallet, but not enough where he felt like he had to stop doing these things; he was starting to drink less coffee before work, so that savings was so far starting To help cover these extra outings.

The conversation of sex had come up a handful of times in the coming weeks, and even though Ignis was not opposed to the idea, the conversation grew more serious with every mention and he felt the coldness in his feet begin to reach up his belly. Prompto knew he was a virgin and left the decision up to Ignis to make the first move, but the last thing Ignis wanted was to make anyone feel pressured, so he figured the longer he waited, the easier it would be to casually bring it up.

The weeks turned into months and they were ‘celebrating’ their three-months of dating when Ignis Felt ready to at least try. He had done plenty of research about blowjobs and handjob techniques So even if he backed out of penetration, he still could make Prompto feel good at least.

Ignis had just arrived at Prompto’s house, coffee’s In hand. They were going to hang out for a bit before grabbing dinner and seeing a movie perhaps, very casual, normal stuff.

When Prompto opened the door with a sullen expression and an uncharacteristically unkempt Manner of dress...typically his fashion sense was more or less “thrift store chic” but today he just looked downright sad.

Setting the coffee cups down on his car hood, Ignis scooped Prompto up into his arms and held him, noticing that Prompto wasn’t exactly hugging him back, he stepped backwards a pace and looked at his boyfriends face, which was slightly puffy and still quite red.

“Prompto, are you alright?” He asked, tone soft and concern flooding through his words. Prompto sniffed and shook his head, but managed to whisper back.

“C-can we talk about it at your place?” He said, which Ignis clung to, he can’t be breaking up with him if he wants to go to Ignis’ place, right? That must be how this all worked.

The drive back to Ignis’ house was a somber one, out of respect, Ignis turned down his music and didn’t attempt to make too much small talk, just in case Prompto wanted to vocalize his concerns early. Instead, he remained silent the whole trip. Before leaving the car, Ignis placed a hand tentatively on Prompto’s knee, leaning in a bit close before making his thoughts known.

“I love you, Prompto.” He said, but his chest grew even more heavy when Prompto didn’t smile at the words, instead, his frown deepened, which caused Ignis more anxiety than he ever cared to admit.

Regardless, they exited the vehicle, ignis unlocked the front door and they made their way upstairs and almost directly into Ignis’ bedroom, where Prompto had previously said he felt the most at home.

Shutting the door, Ignis moved over to his desk chair, passing Prompto his cup of coffee before crossing his legs and looking over at the blonde before Finally breaking this increasingly awkward silence.

“Is...this about us?” He asked, voice quiet but still louder than he had anticipated Given how little had been spoken in the last half hour.

Prompto stiffened visibly and took a deep, shuddering breath.

“The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Ignis, but I have to be honest, I promised you that.” Prompto said, and Ignis let out an unexpectedly harsh laugh. He didn’t mean to, but after everything, his brain had finally concluded that Either Prompto had cheated on him or was breaking up with him, he couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

“...I wasn’t planning on making that as anxiety inducing as it probably sounded...I’m sorry.” Prompto let out a huff of air and ran his free hand in his hair, giving Ignis a bit of a side eye, which made a small burst of anger flare up in Ignis’ chest. He had to swallow it down however, Prompto hadn’t actually said anything to cause it at this point.

“Look, Ignis, I’m sorry, I just...this is hard for me, I haven’t had a relationship where I felt so connected before, and I’m really struggling with how to make it work. I got...I got an offer. For a job, for this...really amazing company.” He stopped and wiped his eyes. Ignis felt compelled to go over and hold him, but remained steadfast in his position. This was not where he had thought this conversation would go.

“And I take it that this company is not located in the city?” Ignis finished the sentence for him, noticing the way that Prompto’s shoulders shook at the statement. Sighing loudly and placing his cup down, Ignis leaned over in his chair and offered a hand out to Prompto. It remained untaken, but Ignis continued his train of thought.

“You need to do what’s best for you and your financial situation. Will the job make you happy? Is it going to be good for you?”

Prompto sat silently again for another moment, a look of contemplation on his face. He looked like he wanted to say 'no of course not, I want to stay' but there as something pulling him in the other direction.

"It...it will...but-!" He choked out a low noise of despair which finally broke Ignis' resolve. Long fingers found their way to his knee to offer support, a warm hold. He knew that one of them was going to be hurt no matter which situation happened, and truthfully he knew that they would both be hurt in some way, shape or form, but he wanted to ensure that Prompto's hurt was the lesser of the two. He had already known that Prompto was destined for greatness in his career, which almost stung more than it should, and he knew that, but he couldn't allow that to be shown.

"Well then look, you need to do what's best for your career. You can't hold yourself back because you're worried about me. I'm holding myself back here, don't you dare do the same for me." He said, stroking Prompto's knee and leaning forward a bit to nuzzle at his cheek.

"If you want to go, go. Please, your life will be better for it, Prompto. If there's anything I've learned is that if you have a risk or an opportunity, you need to take it." He said, his voice lower as he realized the implications of what he was saying, meaning Prompto would be out of his life forever, or at least their relationship would end. He didn't want that option either though, and he could tell based on how he as reacting that the blonde man didn't want it either.

That was one of the hardest nights of Ignis' life. They laid on his bed for the rest of the evening, not saying much, but eventually they started watching videos on Prompto's phone, and laughing at ridiculous pictures of animals, slowly, oh so slowly, it started to feel normal again, almost. There was such a pit at the bottom of Ignis' stomach that was knotted in a hundred different ways. He couldn't even imagine how awful Prompto must've been feeling, but he knew he couldn't shake it yet. Not yet.

They continued on like that for the rest of the night, long after Prompto fell asleep in Ignis' arms, his breathing even and steady. Ignis on the other hand, couldn't sleep, that weight on his chest just refused to go away.

The next morning, Ignis woke up first, despite only sleeping for a third of the time that his boyfriend had, he knew he had to make sure that Prompto ate something healthy for breakfast, they never actually ate anything yesterday as their combined misery failed to remind them. He whipped up some scrambled eggs, toast, and hashbrowns that he made, plating them up and padding back into his bedroom. Typically he didn't like to eat such messy food on the bed, but he figured he could make an exception just this once.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, placing the two plates on the bedside table, he felt a vibration in his pocket. Seeing that Prompto was still asleep, he pulled out his phone to check to see who the heck was trying to contact him this early that wasn’t his work.  
What shocked him was that it was a text from Noctis, at this hour of the day, although he figured it was just to cover a shift that was coming up, he checked it anyway.

‘_ Hey specs, call me when you can...got some news for ya but like dont panic...its nothing serious but I think youll dig it’ _

Well that WAS rather odd. Frowning, he let his fingers trail down Prompto’s shoulder, his steady sleep breathing still a tell tale sign that he hadn’t woken up yet. Another minute of two couldn’t hurt.  
He shut the door on his way out and sat down on the couch in the living room and called Noctis’ number. His voice was quite sleep filled, which made this whole situation even more comical.

“Hello?” Came the groggy voice on the receiver.  
“Hi Noctis, you told me to call you.” Ignis said curtly, not surprised that Noctis would forget already.

“O-oh right! That! Yeah man okay so like, my dad, you know, he’s starting up a new business out of Insomnia, actually, it’s in Altissia, and he was looking to hire some people. I guess it’s like a resort sort of thing. Anyway he wants to hire people with formal, you know, like, servant, butler-y type stuff and I remember you saying you had some training at one point? Anyway man, if you wanna work for him, it’s full benefits, good pay AND they feed you like, this crazy professional food stuff. If you want, I’ll let him know you want the job, I uhh, already put in a reference.”

Ignis had admittedly half tuned out halfway through, the prospect of moving and everything...the timing was almost too perfect, if both he and Prompto had job offers, they would have to part ways for sure, or else stay in a dead end town. The words and decision were out of Ignis’ mouth before he could think.

“Yes. Let me know and I can have my stuff packed in a week.”

“Great, I knew you were the man to ask. Thanks Specs, you’re doing us a huge favour. See you later.”

And then Noctis had hung up on him.

Well, that was that.

He didn’t realize the implications of that for several moments until he realized he was also making up Prompto’s mind for him, meaning that this week would likely be the last week of their relationship.

Breaking up was never easy for anyone, it was tumultuous and harsh even if it’s supposedly ‘mutual’. What was worse was when you could pinpoint a date that it was ending and had no control over that.

Hearing the blankets rustling in the bedroom, he managed to pick his feet up and carry himself back to the bedroom, ready to break the news to Prompto, oh well, at least they were both moving onto better things for their career.

“G’morning.” Prompto yawned at him as he entered the room again. The blonde hair dishevelled and sticking up at every conceivable angle.  
“Good morning my love. How are you feeling?” He asked, sitting on the bed and outstretching a hand that Prompto immediately grabbed and began to stroke.

“Like I feel my whole world falling apart, but thanks for asking.”

The knife in Ignis’ heart twisted, but he cleared his throat and remained strong.

“So...you never did tell me what exactly this job is though.” Ignis said quietly, his thumb rubbing circles on Prompto’s hand. It took several moments for him to respond, but when he did, he sighed loudly before answering, as if he had been purposefully not talking about it.  
“It’s for like, this fancy tourist hotel in Altissia, it’s supposed to be run by the same dude who opened King Motors...Regis something or other. Anyway, they wanted a photographer to do fancy promotional stuff as well as be the head photographer for the guests.” He said, letting go of Ignis’ hand and rubbing his temples as Ignis put two and two together.

“Wait, Regis Lucis Caelem? Prompto, I...I think you need to take this job.” He said, his heart rate accelerating at an extremely high pace, he couldn’t believe what was happening.

“I know, Ignis! I know! But it’s hard, okay? I just didn’t expect my best relationship ever to end so soon.” Pouting, he didn’t even notice how Ignis basically sprang from the bed and practically paced the whole room.  
“No, you don’t understand, Prompto.” He said, one hand covering his mouth and the other at his hip, he couldn’t believe his delight.

“I guess I don’t, but don’t tell me you’re going to quit your job to move to a foreign country just because I want this cool job.” He scoffed, but Ignis clapped his hands together and leaned over the bed.

“That is EXACTLY what I’m going to do.” A sly smirk appearing on his face as Prompto scowled deeper, a small flame of anger appearing on his features, obviously not following what Ignis was trying to say, but as he opened his mouth to say anything and argue back, Ignis put a finger to his lips and continued.

“I got a call from a friend. Their dad is Regis Lucis Caelem, and they want to hire me as a server in that resort.” Ignis said, as he could see understanding flood over Prompto’s face, his whole posture softening as disbelief washed over him.

“Does that mean…” Prompto started but couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.  
“You and me, Prompto. If you’ll have me.” He said, his heart lifting and feeling ten times more lighter than it had earlier, knowing that they still had a chance.

“Me and you...this could actually work.” Prompto said, a huge grin on his face, something that Ignis hadn’t seen yesterday and sorely missed. They had dodged quite the bullet on this one, and Ignis supposed he owed Noctis for this one. This way they could actually work out, they still had a chance.

“This WILL work, Prompto. You and me.” Ignis said, his composure breaking in joy. Prompto replied in kind, tears already streaming down his face.

“Yeah Ignis...me and you.”


End file.
